MELAKA: Any electoral pact with Melaka Barisan Nasional must be negotiated formally and face-to-face before it can be considered, says Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
The state's Barisan chairman said the coalition remained open to talks with parties seeking political cooperation ahead of the upcoming Melaka polls but would not rush into any agreement.
“If there is a desire to work together, I am prepared to provide an open platform for negotiations.
"However, negotiations do not necessarily mean that we will ultimately become partners as we will assess various factors before accepting anyone as our political partner,” he said after the state government’s monthly assembly and the launch of the state-level National Month campaign at the Melaka International Trade Centre in Ayer Keroh here on Monday (Aug 10).
He said cooperation under the proposed “Barisan Plus” formula could strengthen the state's political landscape, but any partnership must first undergo negotiations and receive mutual agreement.
Ab Rauf, who is also the Melaka Chief Minister, stressed that Barisan remained committed to defending all 21 state seats it won in the 2021 state election.
However, he said the remaining seven seats were open for discussion with potential partners.
"The seven remaining seats can be negotiated, and there may also be seat swaps based on mutual agreement,” he said.
He cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about potential political alliances before an official agreement had been reached.
“I have always stressed that we should not draw conclusions from any discussion that has not been formalised,” he added.
